Does ‘Runway to Win’ Obama Campaign Violate Campaign Finance Rules?
Photos courtesy of BarackObama.com
Thakoon's scarf for Runway to Win
Vogue’s Anna Wintour has made no secret of her support for Barack Obama. But now, the Republican National Committee is raising an eyebrow at her latest fund-raising effort, "Runway to Win."
The project enlisted the help of designers like Derek Lam, Thakoon, Diane von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez and more to create campaign-themed products to support Obama’s campaign chest.
Because the products for sale cost significantly less than the designers’ typical wares—the Thakoon "Runway to Win" scarf cost $95, for example, while scarves in his own collection can retail for $325—Republicans have accused the campaign of illegally relying on corporate resources for the production, the Wall Street Journal reports.
"This raises serious questions about whether corporate money, property and employees were improperly used in the design and production of these items without reimbursement," Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer told the Journal.
The Obama campaign denies the suspicions, however.
"All of the designers volunteered their personal time to create these great designs," the campaign said, according to the Journal, and the designs were "not underwritten with any corporate funds."
As for us, well, we'll never wonder why a designer item is too inexpensive. You know what they say about a gift horse...
